Baptists to break with national group

September 23, 2005|By Tribune news services

COVINA, Calif. — Leaders of 300 churches in the Pacific Southwest plan to break from the American Baptist Churches USA, claiming the national denomination has failed to implement its declaration that gay relationships are incompatible with Christianity.

The Pacific Southwest Region said some churches with liberal stands on homosexuality have not been properly disciplined. But a top committee of the denomination said Monday that the national church does not set policy for any of its 5,800 congregations.

Rev. Glenn E. Layne, pastor of First Baptist Church in Temple City, who favors a split, said the move "is not a gay-bashing issue. This is an authority-of-Scripture issue."

The debate over interpreting what the Bible says about homosexuality is tearing at mainline Protestant denominations. Among the most dramatic examples is the worldwide Anglican Communion, which is struggling to stay together following the decision of its U.S. province, the Episcopal Church, to consecrate its first openly gay bishop two years ago.